Since you guys seem to be... counting (like every MAME and/or MESS user is in here), count me in for merged build.
Actually I'd even want merged build to be the DEFAULT build, but anyway I wouldn't mind if we actually get three builds and don't even advertise the (combined) third. Let us that want it, have it.
Also sorry but I read some not very smart comments, possibly coming from ignorance? For example:
- What about the question about what to include? Yes MESS allows for software lists but this is not part of the actual emulation (I for one accept TOSEC as the only real list and MESS should just use that). A potential "ROM testing" (like from clrmamepro) involving MESS or combined builds shouldn't be bothered about the software lists, only the emulated machines (for MESS part) and emulated games (for MAME part). Now I understand that in some second stage in the future, a coin-op game based on Megadrive hardware COULD be classified as such and be included in a megadrive list. But we don't have to worry about this yet.
- As a general philosophy, aside from MAME and MESS everything should be emulated that is filtered out by (questionable) moral rules or whatever. Let lists separate things, let it have a nice parental control or something embedded, but the system should support as much as it can.
- More bugs? Sure you know what you are talking about? Actually LESS bugs. The source tree is already more or less one. Why separate the bugs and even the teams? Something resolved (or found) in one side, is quite commonly same for the other side.
- Someone else says he will wait for MESS emulation to progress more first. Erm... do you realize that MESS already exists in MAMEs bones an the opposite? Nobody expects for MESS to replace WinUAE for example, but the 68000 emulation MAME and MESS use is the same (one and only). So what are you talking about?
- Someone else prefers to separate because of an arbitrary difference. Arcade on one side he says. Well many newer arcades are actually well known computers or consoles inside. So what. Is the "insert coin" that bothers you? Why not have a separate MAME for each game classification too? Or a different MESS for 8 bits, for 16 bits an for 32 bits? Come on, all these things can be FILTERED by a nice front-end (already).
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I think some people don't want the merge because of political reasons. Politics should be OUT of an open source project. Am I wrong?
Other people don't want the merge because they are not really aware of the internal workings of those two (?) projects (that are actually like 95% common already). And those other people that I said above (the politics) don't help these people here actually understand.
I think both obstacles are temporary and the merge inevitable. So get things going already.
As I said, give separate builds for those that want to stick to separate builds for their own reasons, but allow for an OFFICIAL merged build (that if you ask me eventually will take over and we ALL know that).
Thank you all for your time. I didn't intend to insult anybody, sorry if I sounded harsh.
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NLS
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